Miep Gies (February 15, 1909 – January 11, 2010) was one of the Dutch citizens who hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis during World War II. She discovered and preserved Anne Frank's diary after the Franks were arrested. With her husband, and her colleagues, Victor Kugler, Johannes Kleiman, and Bep Voskuijl, Miep Gies helped hide Edith and Otto Frank, their daughters Margot and Anne, Hermann and Auguste van Pels, their son Peter, and Fritz Pfeffer in a secret upstairs room that was not used in the spice company's office building on Amsterdam's Prinsengracht from July 1942 to August 4, 1944. Miep Gies lived in the Dutch province of Noord-Holland. According to Carol Ann Lee's biography of Otto Frank, The Hidden Life of Otto Frank, Gies stopped granting interviews after enduring a bout of severe ill health. On February 15, 2009, she celebrated her 100th birthday (At that time, according to her son, Gies was in good health and followed the news on a daily basis). Gies died on January 11, 2010, following a short illness. It was reported that this was caused by a fall.
When I read "Miep Gies" I said, "I know that name". Then I read the exaplanation and remembered where I had heard it. I had listened to the Diary of Anne Frank late last year on my way back and forth to work (usually the only time I get to "read" is listening in the car!) It was very moving. I started to research Anne Frank a bit and found a great website: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online...site/index.html. It has some very interesting "exhibits". I did not know that Anne was such a prolific writer. Also, the story of how the diary was left in the annex and recovered after the war is really incredible.
I was surprised to see that Miep Gies had still been alive. I'm sure I saw that when I was first researching the people in the book. To Miep - please rest in peace and thank you for the bravery that you showed.
Yes, that is a wonderful site. I double-checked to make sure I had it listed on the main site. In fact, I updated the link. Thanks.
I was able to tour the Anne Frank exhibit in Atlanta a few years ago while on vacation.
Miep Gies was a very special person who risked her life at a time when life had become too cheap. We are indebted to her for not only looking after the Frank family but for saving Anne's diary so that we and future generations will know the affect on ordinary families of the 39-45 conflict.
I'm pleased that she has been remembered here.
Colin.
That's what we're all about!
May she rest in peace. A brave woman has left us but she also left us the memories of a young girl who couldn't live the life she had dreamt of. Thank you so much for making it possible for us to know what they have been through.
Amen.
Shared all this with the general, Russ Weiskircher. If you remember, he is the co-chairman of the Georgia Holocaust Commission. After receiving a link to the forum, he talked it over with the"gang" and they are going to have it reproduced and add it to the Anne Frank exhibit in Atlanta.
Glad we could be of assistance.
Forgot to say merci, Vee. I am now subscribed to the Anne Frank Channel via my YouTube account.
These are the types of things I shall share with my granddaughter when she is a few years older. She shall read the book as I did, and she also has an abundance of material I did not have access to as a child.
The people of Holland made a remarkable effort to save Dutch Jews during WWII that few (if any) countries can match. I have posted one of several documentaries that are available about this subject for anyone who might be interested. I obtained this one through a Christian book/dvd Seller.
